Political Leaders Program (PLP)

Enhance your effectiveness as a civic leader in the Commonwealth

Sorensen's flagship leadership development program is for experienced professionals (generally 10+ years into one's career) in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors who live or work in Virginia and are engaged or want to be engaged in the civic, political, business, nonprofit or governing life of their locality, region or the Commonwealth of Virginia. PLP attendees are able to

• Participate more effectively in civic life or public service
• Have a greater impact on public policy in the Commonwealth of Virginia
• Work with people across the partisan aisle or from different regions of the Commonwealth
• Better understand the interplay between their current positions and politics and government in Virginia
• Build up a network of professional relationships within the cohort, with guest speakers, and among Sorensen Institute alumni

Program Details

Themes & Curriculum

Effective leadership – through building trust and working together – is a central theme of the program. We explore how leaders have gained positions of trust and shaped public policy in Virginia. We also look at how bipartisan and regional cooperation can be used to craft approaches and solutions to problems, opportunities, and challenges faced by Virginia residents. Finally, we review techniques for finding common ground in addressing potentially divisive topics and challenging conversations.

The curriculum is focused on several core subject areas, including:

Public Policy - Participants will engage with speakers who will provide information about such public policy topics as the state budget, transportation, education, healthcare, workforce and economic development, public safety, housing, energy, and the environment. We also cover innovation, funding priorities, reform efforts, and the changing nature of Virginia’s electorate.

Leaders in the Civic, Governing, Public Policy, and Political Processes - Participants will engage with current and former elected officials, appointed officials, board and commission members, lobbyists and advocates, regional and subject matter experts, and business and nonprofit leaders.

Experiential Learning – Participants will learn how leaders can better connect theory to real-world situations through experiential learning activities that foster a deeper understanding of Virginia's different regions and cultures. Each year’s program experience is unique and includes tours and site visits in nine regions across the Commonwealth involving businesses, academic centers, landmarks and historic sites, culture centers, and government facilities.

Ethics in Public Service and Civic Life - Participants will study ethical principles as they relate to public service and civic life, including considering ethical issues in case study scenarios.

Working Across the Aisle and Across Regions/Sectors -  Participants will learn skills to increase their ability to convey their views effectively while also developing skills and practical techniques to bridge partisan, regional, public/private, economic sector, and other divides to create sustainable public policies.

General Program Schedule

Program participants meet in various locations throughout Virginia on one weekend a month from March through December, except for the month of July. Some sessions meet for three days (Thursday, Friday, Saturday) and some sessions meet for two days (Friday, Saturday). While you need not commit to all nine sessions before you apply, we will ask you to confirm your availability for virtually all monthly sessions before your interview for a position in a cohort. 

With few exceptions, the following is a typical weekend schedule:

• Thursday-Saturday sessions typically begin on Thursday sometime between 10:30am and noon
• Friday-Saturday sessions begin on Friday sometime between 8:30am and 11am
• Sessions on Thursday and Friday typically end between 8:30 and 9pm. Saturday sessions typically conclude between 1:15 and 1:30pm, except the March and April sessions that end between 3:00 and 4:00pm

Anticipated Annual Schedule and Typical Topics

You need not focus on the exact program dates before you apply to the program. We will publish the exact dates before the interview process begins. If you are not able at that time to commit fully to the two mandatory sessions and attend virtually all other sessions, we will recommend that you defer consideration of your application to the next year. Typically, we are able to fill in the exact dates sometime in August (before the March commencement of the program).

Williamsburg/Yorktown/Gloucester: Three-Day Session; March 18, 19, 20 (Full attendance is mandatory)

Topics: Orientation, Ethics, Regional Issues, General Assembly Recap, State and Local Government, and the Environment

Richmond: Three-Day Session; April 8, 9, 10

Topics: Law Enforcement, Veterans, State Budget, Virginia's Capitol, Government Accountability, Regional Concerns, Virginia's Demographics

Roanoke or Lynchburg: Two-Day Session; May 21, 22

Topics: Economic Development, Arts, Housing, Regional Cooperation

Danville: Two or Three-Day Session; June 10, 11, 12

Topics: Downtown Revitalization, Economic Development, Advanced Manufacturing, Sports, Civil Rights, Journalism

No session in July

Harrisonburg: Two-Day Session; August 13, 14

Topics: Agriculture, Education, Immigration

Southwest Virginia: Four-Day Session; September 8, 9, 10, 11

Topics: Town Government, Main Streets, Tourism, Coal Industry, Clean Energy Generation, Entrepreneurial Leadership, Healthcare, Impact of Music History, Gaming and Casinos

Hampton / Norfolk: Three-Day Session; October 14, 15, 16 (Attendance on the second day is mandatory)

Typical Topics: Shipbuilding, Maritime Economy, Ethics Case Studies, Fort Monroe History, Arts, Impact of Military Presence

Northern Virginia: Two-Day Session; November 12, 13

Typical Topics: Federal Presence, Local Government, Innovation and Multicultural Economy, Transportation, Regional Cooperation and Concerns

Charlottesville: Two-Day Session; December 10, 11 (Includes Saturday graduation ceremony)

Typical Topics: Virginia History, Leadership, Program Recap and Takeaways, Graduation

Program Fee and Limited Financial Aid

Program Fee

The program fee to participate in the PLP 2027 cohort is $6,800 and the fee rises by several hundred dollars each year. The program fee includes a private hotel room for each weekend and covers most meals, entrance fees at venues, and program materials. Participants are responsible for their own transportation to and from the program sessions and occasional meals.

Payment of the program fee is due in full by January 31 before the start of the program in March. 

Financial Aid

The Sorensen Institute has a limited amount of funds available for financial aid for its programs, generally limited to $1,500 or less for an individual with demonstrated need. We request that participants who need such assistance to check first with their employer, many of whom pay program fees for nonpartisan professional development programs such as those offered by the Sorensen Institute.

More information about the available payment plan and how to apply for financial aid can be found on the Financial Aid page. Preference is given to financial aid applications filed when supplemental documents are due.

Payment Plan

A payment deferral plan, which results in a $300 additional fee, is available with an initial deposit due by January 31 before the start of the program in March. Additional information about the payment plan can be found on the Financial Aid page.

 

How to Apply

How Participants Are Selected

The application process is open to individuals who live or work in Virginia. Preference is given to people who have 10+ years of career experience and who are actively involved or seek to become involved in the civic life of the Commonwealth or its communities through work in the public, private or nonprofit sector.

Approximately 36 participants are selected each year in a competitive selection process that includes an application form with short essay questions. Interviews may be offered and will be conducted virtually with Sorensen staff members, alumni, and/or other Virginia leaders.

A key goal of the selection process is to enable the Sorensen Institute to build program cohorts that reflect Virginia's diversity—including region, race, ethnicity, gender, and employment in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. We seek a balance between Republicans and Democrats in each cohort as well as participants who have other party or no party affiliations. This balanced cohort composition is important to the effectiveness of the program and influences our selection process.

If you would like to refer someone to our Political Leaders Program, please visit our referrals page.

PLP Application Requirements

Applying to the Political Leaders Program involves the following:

• Registering a Cooper Center for Public Service account if you do not have one already (instructions below)
• Completing an online application which includes:
  • short essay questions
  • background/contact information
• Submitting supplemental information via the application portal:

  • your resume and up to two letters of recommendation (no more than 2 will be reviewed)

    Note that your recommenders can submit letters of recommendation to us via email to srb6dp@virginia.edu. We are more interested in receiving letters from people who know you well rather than the position held by the recommender.

Please view our financial aid page for limited assistance in paying for the program.

Cooper Center Account Instructions:

• Access the PLP Application via the Sorensen website https://www.coopercenter.org/sorensen/plp or the “Cooper Center Portal Instructions” webpage: https://www.coopercenter.org/cooper-center-portal-instructions
• Create an account (We recommend creating an account well in advance of the application deadline to ensure timely completion of your application)
• Submit the registration form (personal and contact information) to create an account
• Under “Which program are you interested in?” you should select “Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership”
• Check for an email from CCPS to create a password, then log into the portal.
• Under the “Select a Service” dropdown tab, click “Sorensen Institute”
• Under the “New Applications” dropdown tab, click “Political Leaders Program”
• Under the “Personal Information” dropdown tab, update your “Contact Information”, “Education”, “Employment”, and “Community Activities”.
• After you submit the application form, you will receive an email with instructions on how to upload your supplemental materials (resume and letters of recommendation). You should submit the supplemental materials within several days after you receive the email. You should consider requesting letters of recommendation before you submit your application so that you are easily able to meet the supplemental materials deadline.
• You do not need to upload other personal forms, such as your insurance form, prior to acceptance into the program.

Application Deadlines

Early Action Application Deadline:

September 21, 2026

Final Application Deadline:

November 16, 2026

Financial Aid Requests Submitted Electronically by:

Four Business Days After Receiving Email Requesting Supplemental Documents

Supplemental Materials Submitted Electronically by:

Four Business Days After Receiving Email Requesting Supplemental Documents

Application Short Essay Questions

1. What role should civil discourse, dialogue, and respect for others unlike oneself have in our polarized politics? Do these notions have value? Should they play a role in elections? Do they have value in achieving policy goals?
2. Describe a time when you had to work with someone or a group of people who disagreed with you and with whom you had to build consensus or a compromise.  How did you do that?  What was the result of your efforts?  What did you learn from the process?
3. What achievement, experience or pursuit in your life is most meaningful to you? What has been your most satisfying leadership achievement so far? What barrier(s), if any, have you encountered in achieving your goals?
4. What does state or local government in Virginia do well? What would you like to change about government in Virginia?
5. Have you ever run for political office?  Is it your goal to become an elected and/or appointed public official? If so, what sort of office would you pursue, and why? If not, what role do you see for yourself in the political and/or civic life of Virginia or your local community?
6. What specific skills, knowledge or resources do you hope to acquire as a result of participating in the Sorensen Institute Political Leaders Program?
7. What unique attributes, experiences or perspectives would you bring to a PLP cohort consisting of individuals who care about politics, policy, and civic life in Virginia?

Other Application Information

The following information will be requested in the PLP application:

• How you learned about the Sorensen Institute
• Current and past employment information
• Education degrees and relevant non-degree training programs
• Activities that demonstrate your commitment to public service, community involvement, and/or volunteer work
• Contact information